Some manufacturers of robots managed to become real brands. One such company is Boston Dynamics. She is known not only for innovative developments, but also for videos with robots in the lead roles..
Who are Boston Dynamics??
Boston Dynamics Engineering Company was founded in 1992. Although even 15 years before the president of the brand – Mark Reibert defended his thesis on a new limb design for robots, which made every movement of the machines natural.
In 1980, Mark became a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, and after 6 years he developed a jumping robot that could maintain balance. He then went to work at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he assembled a group of engineers for his first business..
The company modestly existed until 2005, but then it established cooperation with DARPA (the Department of Military Technology in the United States). It was for him that Boston Dynamics developed the four-legged BigDog. In 2005, the video with his test brought them worldwide fame..
In 2013, Google Inc. bought the company for $ 500 million, but it resold it in 2017 – it failed to launch commercially successful projects. The current owner of Boston Dynamics is a Japanese investor in the IT industry – SoftBank.
Boston Dynamics Robots
1. BigDog
Boston Dynamics assembled it by order of the US Department of Defense. Their goal was to make auxiliary autonomous transport for the ground forces.
BigDog walks on terrain with difficult terrain, can withstand up to 150 kg of cargo, speeds up to 6.4 km / h and overcomes inclines of 35 degrees.
An alternative version was the LS3 with a higher payload, but lower speed. Since 2015, the company does not update the line of either one or the other due to a noisy engine that interferes with camouflage.
2. LittleDog
This is a small four-legged robot for research purposes. He appeared in 2010. The control system is self-learning: it uses a ready-made database on the safe position of the case and loads new templates on its own.
Thanks to the updated set of movements, LittleDog walks faster, easier and more confident. On top of it is a video camera for viewing obstacles and the current location. According to her, he builds a route.
3. Spot and SpotMini
Younger brothers BigDog. They are more stable, since they were originally made for rescue operations. The engine is quieter.
The Spot model looks like a big dog, withstands 23 kg of weight and works autonomously for 45 minutes.
Spot was a frequent hero on YouTube. Learning to climb stairs and overcome obstacles, the car inspected construction sites in Japan, about which several videos were shot.
The SpotMini robot is more compact and more efficient. It is made for home and office: a manipulator hand serves drinks and throws garbage.
In popularity, he does not lag behind his older brother: at the MARS-2018 exhibition, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos walked with SpotMini on the lawn in front of the Expocenter.
In 2018, a video appeared where SpotMini dances to the track Uptown Funk. He convincingly repeated the “moonwalk”, movements from hip-hop, and even twirled. Here, Boston Dynamics engineers focused on what emotions SpotMini evokes..
In another video, a Boston Dynamics employee prevented SpotMini from opening the door. He blocked the sensors, pushed him with a club and pulled on a leash. All attempts by a specialist have failed. The dog-like car was breaking forward. She works autonomously after the Go command.
The company said that the robot was not injured, but since it is so hard to stop it, you need to think about human safety. Other experiments have shown that SpotMini can be paired with its main version to open doors together..
In 2019, Boston Dynamics showed how a group of robots pulls a truck. Roller made to serial production of dog robots for civilian purposes.
This is not the only Boston Dynamic experience like this. In 2015, three Spot models drove on Santa’s sleigh.
4. CHEETAH
Four-legged robot with a record speed of up to 45 km / h. High speed is made possible by its flexible “back”.
The Cheetah from Boston Dynamics marked the beginning of a cat-like collection of robots. In 2013, a new version appeared – WildCat. This sprinter scout does not run as fast (up to 25-30 km / h), but moves in open areas and works by himself.
He analyzes the position of the hull relative to other objects, calmly changes the trajectory and turns around without falling. Payload – 150 kg.
5. RiSE
A six-legged robot that looks like an insect. Feature – overcoming vertical obstacles. Due to the tail and micro-hooks on the legs, RiSE scrambles along fences, trees and concrete walls at a speed of 30 cm / s.
Each leg is controlled by a pair of electric motors, and the on-board computer is responsible for sensor communication and data processing. Weight – 2 kg and length – 0.25 m.
6. PETMAN
This is the first android from BD. It was made for testing workwear and chemical protection. Technical stuffing is much like BigDog. PETMAN is an exclusively laboratory version introduced in 2013.
7. Atlas
An improved version of the human robot. He can walk on rough terrain (even on loose snow), carry cargo and climb obstacles with his hands.
To facilitate the design, the details were made on a 3D printer. Height was 180 cm and weight 82 kg. Atlas equipped with stereo vision and rangefinder.
Most of the scandalous experiments were precisely his share. In 2016, he became famous all over the world because of the video, where an employee of the company pushed him with a club and knocked the box out of his hands. A year after that, a robot from Boston Dynamics did a back flip and was able to stand on one leg for a long time.
Then he showed the skills of parkour, climbed to the racks and jumped over the logs. Such “street acrobatics” allows Atlas to be used in search operations even in extreme conditions..
On April 1, news appeared that a robot had escaped from Boston Dynamics. Sources said the Atlas model hid from the company’s headquarters at night. The information was not confirmed, so most likely it was a joke from the developers.
Such draws are not uncommon. A year ago, a fake came out that the lead engineer at Boston Dynamics resigned after protests by gender activists who were outraged by mockery of robots during testing.
8. RHex
The miniature military intelligence robot was nicknamed “cockroach.” RHex is equipped with an engine with three pairs of rounded arches, which allows you to move around stones, dirt, sand, stairs.
9. SandFlea
The “sand flea” mini-robot with a weight of 5 kg is designed for reconnaissance. He has a pneumatic leg with compressed carbon dioxide, thanks to it he jumps to a height of 10 m (without recharging the “fleas” it’s enough for 25 jumps).
10. Handle
Two-meter robot loader. It develops speeds of up to 4 m / s on a flat surface, lifts weights up to 45 kg, jumps a meter in height. Handle is a cross between an electric scooter and an Atlas humanoid. According to Mark Reibert, he resembles a “nightmare robot”.
The battery lasts for 24 km. Total weight – 105 kg. An accurate coordination system helps him to maneuver, so he remains stable even on the stairs.
Users nicknamed the car “tyrannosaurus”, and they also advanced the theory that Handle will soon replace low-skilled workers in the workplace..
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What specific features or behaviors of the 10 robots from Boston Dynamics do you find the most unsettling or frightening?
Wow, I have heard a lot about the advanced robots developed by Boston Dynamics! As a reader, I’m genuinely curious to know which specific robots from their lineup scare you the most? What is it about these robots that instills fear or apprehension in you? I appreciate your personal insights on this matter!